Tackle

One of the reasons why more and more anglers are turning their attention to coarse fish is that virtually all of them can be caught on the most elementary of tackle. With the exception perhaps of the largest carp and channel cats, little more is needed than a cane pole, hook, line, sinker, and bait. Generations of youngsters, in fact, have whiled away countless afternoons with such crude equipment, and their excited accounts at each day's end could fill volumes with tales about the stringers full of fish they caught. It's the sweet possibility of tying into a big fish, though, that makes light to medium spinning tackle the all-round perfect choice. A five- to six-foot rod, stout enough in the butt to handle a 30-pound catfish, yet sensitive enough at the tip to let you feel the timid pick-up of a carp, is an ideal selection. It will provide plenty of excitement with the average- and small-sized fish you catch ... and ample backbone to tame the occasional lunker that takes your bait. Pair it with an open-faced spinning reel capable of holding 165 yards or more of eight- or ten-pound-test monofilament. You'll probably never use much heavier line except when you're confident that only giant fish are around, but you'll want the extra Line capacity just in case a big one floes take your bait and make a long distance run.

Generally speaking, though, smaller fish are more the rule than the exception. So when it comes time to choose line for your reel, it's important to remember that lighter lines mean more fish. Never is this more true than when a carp is nosing around your bait. Notoriously a timid fish, it's as easy to spook as any trout, and heavyweight lines offer just too much resistance in the water.

The second thing to remember is to let your rod and reel do the work of fighting the fish. By keeping the drag set at half the breaking point of your Line, you will still have plenty of resistance left to set the hook. If a big fish has taken the bait, it'll be able to run against the light drag setting without snapping your line.

These basic tackle requirements apply pretty much to all four coarse fish species. Your terminal tackle, though -- how and what you tie to the end of your line -- will vary slightly depending on which coarse fish you have picked as your target for the day.

Click to Listen!